LABOR DAY

We spent part of Labor Day weekend with my parents, hanging out on the lake, throwing a tennis ball for the dog to fetch over and over, making (and eating) homemade ice cream and just enjoying good company and gorgeous weather. This little outdoorswoman probably had the best time of all. She sang "Climb, climb up sunshine mountain" while pulling herself up the ladder to Nana and Pop's little tree house, and she squealed "Wheeee! I'm riding with Poppa!" as they rode around the yard on the four-wheeler in the lowest gear. It was so nice to get away...

We also got a few little tasks checked off the To Do list at the house, so we're a few steps closer to getting the drywall guys to come and turn our 'spaces' into 'rooms.' The biggest development of the weekend was that we got our second HVAC unit hooked up and working. (Our house is pretty big and not an open floor plan, so the best way to heat and cool it was determined to be one electric heat pump on each side of the house.) What this means is we have heat and A/C in the kitchen, dining room, entry and master suite for the first time since we moved in! We're still getting used to the cool blast of air hitting us in the face when we come in the front door, and it will be nice not to trip over a space heater in the kitchen this winter. Why did it take so long to get this unit working? Well, it takes some creativity and planning to retrofit a log house for duct work -- you can't exactly hide ducts in the wall, because the wall is a solid 10-inch thick tree trunk. But we worked it all out and with minimal weirdness, which is always the goal in this house.

So that was our weekend -- part play, part productivity. Now we're back to the grind, trying to balance work and family with our goal of refinancing this fall. Don't stop believing, people.

Also, it's officially fall now in my mind. (It's imperative that fall start immediately after Labor Day, because it's my favorite season and it's always way too short!) So, happy fall to all of you! xo